with Amanda Wells – Chief Guide
After a tough winter it seems like summer is finally here, though in Wellington we tend never to count chickens prematurely. It’s a strange switch from battling ice and hypothermia to being mindful of dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Hopefully you’re planning an active summer in the hills. Included with this newsletter is our
Summer schedule, covering the months of February to April. If you’re wondering where January has gone, we experimented with including it in the Spring schedule this year, because it can be hard to fill and organise January trips if they’re not on the board in early December.
I’m typing this one-handed so will be brief. Unfortunately I have proved that the kitchen is a more dangerous place than the wilderness, especially if you don’t pay its dangers appropriate attention. We seem to have had a run of accidents and injuries this year and it inspires me to think of how well those concerned have coped with some pretty disabling and traumatic events.
Every time we put together a schedule, the hardest part is getting enough leaders to sign up. Trip leaders are the backbone of our club and it’s fair to say that people never fully appreciate the effort leaders put in till they have a go at leading themselves. The planning, the last-minute changes, the transport rearrangements, the cooking and the leadership during the trip all make this role challenging – but hopefully satisfying too. A heartfelt thank you from me to everyone who has lead a trip this year.
If you’ve been going out on a few club trips lately and want to give something back, trip leading is the best thing you can do. We’ll be holding a leadership instruction course on 2-3 April that covers all the basics of trip leading and I’d encourage you to put it in your diary. We always need new leaders as our existing leaders move away or deal with other commitments. Please come and chat to me about leading if you have any questions, or just sign up for the course.